


my love, i'll catch you if you fall.

by softchimchimmie



Series: Fated [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Effie gets "yelled" at by an angry Elise, F/F, F/M, Felicia falls immediately, Felicia is clumsy and Effie is sort of insensitive, Fluff, Jakob is sort of an ass when comforting her, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles, Soulmates, They share temperatures, as angry as a ten year old gets tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-22 13:20:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14309529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softchimchimmie/pseuds/softchimchimmie
Summary: Effie has never felt warmth until her babysittee's brother brings home a foreign exchange student.





	1. arrival - 0.1

Effie let out a tiny sneeze as she exited her home. From the weather app on her phone, it listed the current day to reach as high as 80 degrees fahrenheit, though she couldn’t help the shudder that passed her as if a chill had swept by. 

Quite frankly, it was ludicrous for her to be walking out of her home in a thick jacket and sweatpants when the people around her were dressed down in the thinnest of layers as to prevent themselves from getting heat stroke. It might’ve been a plus to not sweat at all despite the sun, but even with the layers just barely helped against the cold her body was surrounded by. 

She didn’t quite know if being connected to her soulmate by temperature was a blessing or a curse considering the differing climates she assumed that their homes took up. Where she lived, it was dreadfully hot, the weather faring much better during the autumn season, but the heat during the summer and ending of spring was enough to make people melt the moment they left the comforts of shade or the proximity of an AC. 

She wondered how her soulmate was doing, living and feeling so cold. Effie considered that she was fine, taking the body temperature that Effie held. It was only because Effie knew that her soulmate experienced her temperature that she made sure to almost always be near a fan when she was alerted by the weather channel that it was supposed to be hot, and when it got cold (which was scarcely during the winter months,) she would bundle up as she was now to make her other half comfortable. 

Her friends had called her a bit cheesy for doing it, but she found it typical to take care of her “fated” as some would say even if they weren’t together yet. 

There were times when Effie felt warmth, the feeling a bit foreign since she was young. It came in waves, close to her hands, never her face or legs. Sometimes she would feel the warmth of a blanket, a comfortable one that allowed her to rest peacefully. Though there were nights when she would lie in bed, frozen and trying to get any warmth she could receive from her blanket and heater, but to no avail. 

Her legs had wandered towards her destination, eyes distant as she was lost in thought. 

“Effie, darling?”

Her head snapped towards the voice, eyes landing on a purple haired woman who stood at the front door of the home she had been to many times before. It only took a few moments for a head to peak out from behind Camilla’s waist, thin arms wrapping around it.

“Effie!” 

“Elise,” she greeted, walking up the driveway as the girl hopped into her arms. 

“I’ll only be away for a little while, you won’t mind, will you? Just recently a friend of a… of a sibling came here to visit and look around for places to stay for awhile, and he wanted me to pick her up since he's a bit busy,” she said, concern lacing her voice. 

“Miss Camilla, it’s fine. I enjoy taking care of Elise…”

“There’s some food in the fridge, Xander went shopping so you can take as you please,” she said, voice sounding fond as she walked passed Effie. She could already see the shine in the girl’s eyes as she stood there until Camilla had pulled out of the driveway. 

Elise had been quiet during the exchange, only speaking once her elder sister had gone. 

“Effie, can we eat? Big sister told me to wait until you got here since she knew you’d want to eat something!” she chimed, happily hanging off of Effie’s bicep as if it were a monkey bar. Effie didn’t mind, smiling softly at the little girl as she nodded. 

“Is there anything in particular that your brother bought that you want to eat?” 

She noticed the second youngest sibling lounging on the couch, cuddled up with a book in hand. She chose not to distract him, Elise not minding either as they passed. 

“Why don’t we make cake?”

“Remember how well that went last time?” Effie humored, setting the girl down onto one of the stools that were lined at the bar-esque table. 

“Things change, Effie! Come on, one more time. Xander’s and Corrin are going to be here tonight with a guest, and I want to make something for their arrival~”

There was no way that Effie could deny such a pure request, sighing as she approached the pantry and open a few cupboards to see what they had to work with.

Once Effie set a few things onto the table, both her and Elise inspected the ingredients. 

“We could make a strawberry shortcake…” Effie murmured, Elise nodding along. 

“We also have pocky and we could make cute shapes out of the strawberries!” 

Elise was radiating happiness and she was bouncing in her spot. 

A small knock from the entrance of the kitchen caught their attention. It was Leo, a book in hand, though Effie quickly noticed that it was much thinner and bigger than the one he had had when he was still in the living room. 

“A cookbook,” he murmured, cheeks tinged a pink hue as he offered it to Effie. “If you need any help, I’ll be in the living room.” 

Before he could escape, he was ensnared in his younger sister’s arms as she squealed her gratitude. 

“Alright, alright, let him go,” Effie said, huffing out small laughter as Leo, albeit a bit reluctant, held his sister close and allowed her to give him a smooch on the cheek. Elise, reluctant as well, let go. 

“We’ve got some baking to do, and if we want to do it before anyone gets back, we ‘ought to be quick.”

It was a blessing that the book Leo provided was so detailed, and soon enough, the cake was left in the oven while the strawberry icing that they had made was resting in the fridge. 

“Now the strawberries,” Effie murmured, letting out a quiet sigh when she noticed that Elise was now haunched over the counter, cleaned up and eyes resting. It wasn’t the most unexpected thing to happen, and Effie made no effort to pick the girl up, tucking her in on the couch adjacent where Leo had not so much as glanced up from the literature his eyes were set on. 

She returned moments later, taking a clean knife from a drawer and plucking one of the clean strawberries from a bowl that was set out. She carefully began to cut, having a picture in mind of what Elise might like. In the end, an assortment of little strawberry roses were cut out and set into the refrigerator. She mindlessly began to switch between scrolling through her phone and checking on the cake to make sure it was alright. 

When the ding of the oven went off, she stood, stretching a bit. Checking the time, it was only a half an hour or so before Camilla would be back from the airport. 

She got up, throwing on some oven gloves before pulling the platter from the oven. She would never admit it, but she was glad that Elise had fallen asleep before taking the cake from the oven. It probably would’ve been a bit too dangerous to do. 

Her point was proven when she felt like she was suddenly melting in her spot, nearly toppling over by the overwhelming feeling. The metal met the counter with a clang, and she heard the sound of covers being shifted and something falling to the floor. 

“Hey, Effie,” Leo made his way over, alarm clear on his face as he inspected her. She was sweating, something he never saw her do even when the days were as dreadful and the only source of wind was the fan that spun a bit too slow in the living room. 

“It’s… so hot,” she said, gloves coming off first before her hands made quick work to get the buttons of her jacket off with quick succession. 

“Ah… let me go see if Camilla has anything you could wear,” Leo said, eyes flashing with recognition. With that, he was off, leaving her to get the jacket and sweater she wore off, letting out a relieved breath when she stepped into the living room, the wind cooling the sweat that had made an uncomfortable layer on her skin. 

Leo peered in, beckoning her to follow him. She was lead to one of the bathrooms where a neat pile of clothing was set near the sink and a clean towel perched on a high rack. 

“You can take a shower, I’ll finish up the cake,” he said, not allowing much room to argue. 

“Alright. Thank you, Leo,” she said, giving him a curt nod. 

Once confined to the bathroom, she peeled the rest of her clothes on and getting into the shower. It didn’t make her skin feel any less sticky or warm, but it at least made her feel cleaner and calmer than she previously was. 

She got dressed quickly after getting out, Leo having given her a simple black tee and pink shorts. 

She made her way to the kitchen, letting out a soft sigh of relief when she noticed the perfectly decorated cake. 

Effie could only assume that her’s would’ve ended up a disaster, but Leo seemed competent, if not excelled at decorating, if not cooking as well. Leo was cleaning the dishes, acknowledging her with a small nod. 

“Could you put it into the fridge?” he asked. She nodded, giving a grateful smile as she did as told. 

“They’ll be here soon, Camilla called earlier. She’s picking up Xander and Corrin along the way.”

“I’ll wait out in the living room then, if you don’t mind finishing those?”

“Not at all. Go ahead and rest a little. Both you and Elise must be tired.”

“Thank you, do wake me when they arrive though.”

“Of course.”


	2. arrival - 0.2

Effie honestly didn’t need much prompting to get up, eyes opening when her ears detected the sound of the garage opening. Both Elise and Leo were up, the younger settling on her brother’s lap as he read to her quietly. 

Elise perked up a bit, smiling a bright smile as Leo shut his book, setting it to the side as Elise pushed herself up. 

“How’re you doing, Effie?” she asked, bounding over and giving her a tight hug. Effie let out a small hum, hugging her back. The heat had cooled a bit, though it still felt thick against her skin. 

Before she could give a verbal response, the front door opened. As expected, Camilla, Xander, and Corrin were present, trailed by a delicate looking pink haired girl, a small luggage in her hands. Camilla smiled softly at her, as she always did. Xander had given her a quick, small smile as greeting, before his face returned to a neutral expression. 

The girl babbled in a foreign tongue, bumping against Corrin’s back when he stopped walking. 

“Felicia.”

She calmed for a moment. 

“You’re fine, just relax, alright? No need for formality,” Corrin chuckled, patting her head in a comforting gesture. Her face seemed to burn, and it was only a given that Effie could feel her own warm. She glanced into a mirror that was placed near the front entrance, set up to make sure each sibling looked their best before leaving the house. 

It was only then that she noticed that her cheeks weren’t tinged with pink. 

No one else seemed to notice, and Effie didn’t bring it up. 

It was quickly supplied that the girl was named Felicia, a Russian exchange student that would be staying in the home for a school trip that was taking place. Her English tumbled out in fractured sentences, though it was easy to tell that she was trying her absolute best to piece together what they said in return. 

Effie had remained on the sidelines beside Leo who hadn’t taken much interest, quipped a few questions, before going silent. They were both well aware of the glances that Felicia would make towards them, and Effie didn’t have to look to see that Felicia was flustered beyond belief. 

They mingled for a short period of time in the living room, Felicia bombarded with soft questions that attempted to coax her to calm down, though it didn’t seem to charm her from her nervous state. 

“Effie, dear, could you maybe go to our guest room and get it prepared?”

“Of course,” Effie nodded, Elise trailing behind her as she went on and on about Felicia. 

“Don’t you think she’s pretty?”

“Sure.”

“Her voice is also really cool!”

“Yep.”

Elise didn’t really seem to care about her babysitter’s indifference, but continued to ask questions while Effie gave bland responses in return. 

“What if her soulmate is here? Wouldn’t it be so cool?” Elise asked, the question prompting Effie to pause for a moment, before continuing into the guest room after retrieving some comforters and pillows from a cabinet. 

“I suppose it would be… but she’ll have to go home someday,” Effie said slowly, giving Elise a small pat on the head, “But it would be cool for her to. There’s nothing better than meeting the one you truly love, or so I’ve heard.” 

“Oh, did you hear it from Leo? He always goes on and onnnnn about it, he sure does love romance novels!”

“Mhmm… so I’ve heard that Xander’s gotten him off of homeschooling?” 

“Yep! He may not show it, but he’s definitely excited about it! He’s been researching all the procedures and stuff, really just the boring things, I really hope he’ll loosen up once he gets there. He has a tendency to be a bit stingy when it comes to new things,” she said, puffing out her cheeks. 

Effie silently listened, smile perched on her lips while Elise continued to talk, getting the room prepared for Felicia. 

“Oh right, Effie, are you staying for cake?” 

“If it is your wish, I can stay just a bit longer,” Effie nodded, taking Elise’s hand when she finished up, the girl pulling her along and back to the living room where everyone had taken their seats on the couches and were speaking merrily, the short time seeming to warm Felicia up a bit as she animatedly spoke. 

“Ah! Effie, Elise, I trust that the guest room is prepared?” Camilla asked, Elise settling comfortably on her lap while Effie took a spot on the floor, leaning against the couch where Leo and Xander were situated. 

“Come on, big sister! When can we not trust on Effie?”

“Remember when we let you two bake a cake for the first time.”

“Hey, we did a good job this time!”

“Don’t worry,” Leo interjected, seeing the immediate look of panic and most like flashbacks that rose in Camilla’s eyes, “I supervised this time. They actually did a pretty nice job this time 'round.”

“Well that’s good, why don’t we eat some right now?” 

“I can go get it,” Effie said, pushing herself up from the ground. 

“I can help, too!” Felicia exclaimed, a wide, determined smile on her face as she stood, Corrin looking a bit weary. 

Effie gave her a curt nod, returning Felicia’s smile with a small one. 

“The plates are in the dishwasher,” she said, pointing to it. Felicia nodded, muttering a small phrase of gratitude. Effie brought the cake out, settling it onto the counter with ease. Felici didn’t seem to be sharing the luck. 

A squeak erupted from her when the plates (albeit small stack) began to simply topple over when her foot made contact with the trash can. 

Effie was quick to catch Felicia, the girl an absolute lightweight, though it didn’t stop the sound of shattering ceramic against the floor. 

“I figured this was going to happen…” Corrin sighed, being the first to make it into the kitchen. 

“Oh dear, Felicia, Effie, are you girls okay? Oh! No, Elise, don’t go in there,” Camilla soothed, keeping Elise beside her and away from the pieces of Ceramic that littered the floor. 

“We’re good,” Effie nodded, “I can clean this, why don’t you guys take the cake and eat in the living room?” she asked. Felicia was blubbering out apologies once Effie basically carried her over to the others.

Camilla attempted to calm her down, but there was really no helping it. 

Leo ended up carrying the cake out while Xander grabbed some plastic plates that were in a cupboard. 

There was no hiding the soft groan Effie let out once they all filed out of the kitchen. She grabbed a broom and dustpan, gathering all the shards. She only got up when she heard the sound of faint footsteps.

“Effie?”

Her name sounded foreign on Felicia’s tongue, though she finished up cleaning the floor, making sure that there was no more left. Felicia held a plate that had a piece of cake on it, her hands holding on tightly to the paper as she held it out. 

“I’m… I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize,” Effie finally said, letting out a deep breath as she approached, taking the plate and settling down at the counter. She gestured for Felicia to take a seat, and she did, fiddling with a bracelet that adorned her wrist. 

“You didn’t get hurt, did you?” Effie finally asked, breathing out another sigh when she noticed the other jump a bit in her seat. 

“No--- no. I didn’t get hurt,” she shook her head. “I’m a little... I’ve been called clumsy… I think that’s what you call it? Corrin even said it…”

“That’s correct,” Effie nodded, “Though don’t beat yourself over it.”

She seemed to beam at the statement, Effie didn’t quite understand why. 

“Thank you… Menya vsegda nazyvali nekompetentnym…” 

“What was that?”

“I don’t know how to say it in English…” she admitted, going back to fiddling with her bracelets. 

Effie shifted a bit, placing a hand on her face as it bloomed with heat again. 

She glanced down at Felicia as she finished the strawberry left on her plate. She seemed nervous yet fluttery, meeting Effie’s eyes occasionally, before they flitted away in embarrassment. 

“Are you doing anything tomorrow?” she asked, Felicia looking up with confusion written on her face. “If Corrin allows it, we could go to the library and see if there are any books that may help you figure out what you said. I’m a bit curious if I’m being honest…” 

She brightened a minuscule, though was obviously trying to hide it by looking down again. 

“I’d like that…”


	3. gentle - 1.1

Camilla was kind enough to lend her clothes to Effie again the next day, Effie having to push down the blush rising to her cheeks when the girl began to tease her a bit. 

Both Effie and Felicia left the house together, the sun glaring down at them from above. Effie fanned herself with her and, Felicia seemingly used to the high temperature. 

“Are you doing okay?” she asked, bringing the neck of her shirt up to wipe some sweat that clung to her forehead. Her companion happily nodded, looking fare and not affected. If Effie was correct, she was experiencing the same temperature that Felicia did, _so how was she not even sweating?_

“Ah, right, I was curious,” Felicia happily looked up, eyes brimming with anticipation, “What was your home like?” 

“Snow,” she said simply, eyes shining. 

Effie smiles, raising a hand to give Felicia’s head a small pat. It was more impulsive than anything, perhaps Elise was rubbing off on her… 

“My sister, Flora, and I would usually stay inside, though we would sometimes go out for walks,” Felicia elaborated finally, seeming a bit flustered that she hadn’t started with that to begin with. 

“Did your sister come with you for this trip?” she asked, opening the door to the library once they’d arrived, glad to finally have some sort of air conditioning finally washing over them both when they entered. 

The first thing she noticed was that it wasn’t as quiet as it usually was, students buzzing with small conversations. She caught small words such as “exams” and remembered the studying she had pushed to the back of her mind. 

Her eyes were trained on a certain section of the library that held the majority of the language books that they may need. She grabbed a small memo slip from the librarian’s counter and stole a pen while she was at it, offering it to Felicia. 

“Why don’t you write it down? It may be easier if the both of us are able to look for it,” she said, Felicia happily obliging. Effie glanced at the neat writing and smiled a bit. She wasn’t one for sentiment, but the loopy and elegant handwriting truly suited the grace that was Felicia. Perhaps more the way she held herself than her clumsiness that was only suited to be called endearing. 

Effie watched Felicia under careful eyes, having a simple Russian-to-English dictionary in hand, flipping through it. Felicia was more or less looking at English books rather than attempting to translate what she had said, Effie didn’t mind as much. 

Felicia had settled beside her with a small stack of simple children’s books, flipping through the pages quietly. Effie kept her eyes on the dictionary, biting the inside of her cheek as she pieced the words together slowly, writing it beneath each word. 

Menya vsegda nazyvali nekompetentnym  
I’ve always been called…

Her heart slightly twisted as she glanced over to Felicia who was innocently looking down at the books that she practically mowed through. It only took a few moments of observing for her to notice that the smaller girl was glancing at her, eyes anxious as she waited. 

“Incompetent,” Effie said softly, turning towards her as her lips shifted downwards. “You’ve always been called incompetent,” she reiterated, seeing the tiny, yet sad smile that Felicia returned. 

Effie wasn’t one to do something unprompted, but her hand seemed to move naturally to gently cup Felicia’s cheek, running her thumb over the curve under her eye. 

A red hue bloomed in Felicia’s cheek at the sudden affection, and her eyes averted downwards. 

She wondered if the other was still oblivious. 

“Felicia,” she murmured, sighing softly and trying to think of something to say, really anything that would make the girl feel better. She knew little of the other, and she guessed it was just the revelation that she was her soulmate that made Effie pay attention so much.

From the way Felicia’s accent sometimes baffled her when trying to say an English word, or to the way that she still held her head up high even when she had been talked down on, and even understood. So much so that she had still smiled upon hearing it. 

“Felicia,” she said again, patience written in the other’s eyes as Effie continued to think. Perhaps the words she was going to say were ones that the other didn’t even know. But she’d learned, Effie hoped she would. “You’re beautiful and you’re strong,” she said, moving her fingers to tuck a small strand of pink behind Felicia’s ear, “Don’t forget that, okay?” 

Effie felt herself fluster alongside Felicia as she said it. She could already tell that the words had registered in Felicia’s mind and her words came out in strings of both English and Russian as she tried to make up a coherent sentence. 

It had taken a moment for them both to calm, a smile settling on Felicia’s lips as Effie waited for her response. 

“Thank you,” she said, taking Effie’s hand which had stayed on the side of her face, and pressing a chaste kiss to the back of it. 

“No… I…” Effie trailed, words dying on her lips as Felicia came a bit closer. 

_Was she even allowed to kiss a foreign student?_

What if there was some sort of regulation that considered this wrong? Would she get in trou-- those thoughts were quickly wisped away by the featherlight pressure on her lips, eyes widening as she realized how the space between them had closed in a matter of seconds. 

When Felicia pulled away, Effie let out a tiny sound, eyes widening a little. 

“Oh gosh,” Felicia squeaked, covering her mouth. 

The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted Felicia’s words, and they both turned to see a tall man with long white hair that was pulled into a neat, low ponytail. 

“We were explicitly told to stay with our assigned partner, Felicia,” he said, approaching with a frown on his face. 

Felicia shrunk a fraction, Effie gently squeezing her hand. 

“Jakob,” she said, going to her mother tongue to speak to him. She seemed to be getting more and more flustered as he seemingly berated her. 

Felicia’s eyes looked at her for a moment, pleading for some sort of help. 

“If I may,” Effie said, giving Felicia’s hand another squeeze, “I was given permission by Corrin to bring Felicia here to grow accustomed to American literature,” she gestured towards the books that Felicia had brought along, relieved that there were a few larger books thrown in with the children’s books, “I can call him if you’d like me to, though he is quite busy at this current moment.”

He paused for a moment, a glare present as he looked at her. She was only glad that their hands were hidden behind a low bookcase that separated them from him. That would’ve only risen more suspicion. 

“Hey, Jakob!” 

Sounds of people shushing him filled the once quiet library. 

“Silas,” Effie greeted, waving at him with a small smile. He waved, bashfully rubbing the back of his neck as he apologized to the people he passed. 

Felicia let out a soft giggle as he finally made it over, “I see you weren’t being attended either? I don’t believe you have a reason to bash me for being with Effie…” she trailed, sounding a bit cheeky. 

Jakob let out a deep breath, Effie letting out a soft laugh at that. 

“What are you two doing here, anyways?” Silas asked, leaning over the bookcase to look down at the books that had been sat forgotten on the table. His eyes strayed to their linked hands, and he moved slightly to cover Jakob’s view. 

“Studying,” Effie said, holding up the dictionary in her other hand. 

“Ah, well, Jakob and I better be going! Geez, and you were the one that said you wanted to follow a schedule. We’re 10 minutes late to our next destination!” he exclaimed, receiving another round of shushes from the surrounding inhabitants. 

As both guys retreated, Effie’s eyes met Felicia’s.

They both shared a light giggle as Felicia grabbed one of the books from her small pile, opening it so that the both of them could see.


	4. gentle - 1.2

“You two are quite close, aren’t you?” Corrin questioned, a small smirk on his lips as he toed off his shoes in the foyer. 

Both Effie and Felicia were settled on a couch, wrapped in a blanket with a side of a book in one of their hands. He noticed that it was russian, something he knew Effie couldn’t understand too well. 

“We’re studying,” they both said, an automatic answer he assumed. 

He rolled his eyes a bit, a small slip of paper in his hand as he approached, frowning a bit as he handed it to Felicia. Upon inspection, Effie noticed that it was written in Russian, so she didn’t bother, eyes flitting back to the pictures that were plastered on the pages the book was opened to. 

She heard Felicia’s breath hitch as she looked over it, brows furrowing. 

“We’re returning early…?” she asked, looking up. Effie could feel the grip on her free hand tighten a fraction as her words trembled, “What happened? This is Jakob’s handwriting… did something happen to the instructor?”

Corrin shifted a bit, “Silas didn’t say much… Jakob wasn’t with him,” he said, pushing his hair back a bit. “You have until the end of the week. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, it’s okay,” Felicia said, looking down at her lap as her hands came together, wringing together with a nervousness that Effie didn’t quite recognize. 

“I’ll take my leave now…” he trailed, giving Effie an apologetic smile. 

Once he left, Felicia’s shoulders fell with slight defeat. 

“Hey…” Effie said softly, arm wrapping around Felicia’s shoulders and pulling her back against her. “It’ll be okay,” she promised. 

“I have to go see Jakob,” she said, voice filled with conviction that didn’t translate into her hopeless demeanor. “I need to know what’s going on…”

“I can text Silas to see where Jakob… I’m sure he’ll know,” Effie said, tucking Felicia into her side. Felicia curled into the warmth, letting out a soft sigh as she allowed herself to relax a fraction. 

Effie made quick work, and eventually received a reply from Silas that only contained an address. She recognized it immediately to be the address to a nearby hotel that she had occasionally passed.

“Come on,” Effie said, shifting to stand up, bringing Felicia up with her. “Want me to come with you?” she asked softly, hand finding its way to Felicia’s cheek in a gentle manner.

“I don’t want to go alone…” she admitted softly, hand gripping tightly on the end of the yellow dress that she had opted to where that day. “Is it okay for you to come with me…?”

“Of course, I offered, didn’t I?” Effie chuckled, giving her a reassuring smile. She lead Felicia out, locking the door behind her. “It’s not too far of a walk, just keep calm, okay?” she asked, keeping an arm wrapped around Felicia’s waist. 

“Okay… thanks Effie,” she whispered, shoulders hunched as Effie led her. It only took twenty minutes for them to reach the cool entry of the lobby of a nice hotel. 

Silas was waiting in front, fiddling with his phone. His eyes looked up upon their approach, and a weary smile made its way onto his face. 

“Is everything alright?” Felicia asked, following Silas as they entered an elevator. 

“Your instructor…” he trailed, letting out a soft sigh, “He’s in the hospital. Jakob’s up in the room packing everything. Your principal said that it would be best for all students to return rather than allowing all of you to run around unattended.”

“H-how does that even---” “Jakob’s in charge,” Silas interrupted, a wry smile on his face as he patted her head and exited the elevator when it reached their floor. Felicia instantly noticed Jakob disappearing into one of the doors, leaving it ajar. She entered, noticing the suitcases that were leaning against a wall near the entrance, the rest of the room clean as if nobody had been staying in it before. 

“Jakob?” Felicia asked quietly, the male turning towards her. 

“Felicia, what are you doing here?” he asked, eyes flitting over Silas and Effie, before nodding in realization. “So you’ve heard?”

“Not to the full extent,” she said, shaking her head, “Is he… alright?” she asked, taking another step forward. 

“He’ll have to stay here for a while, the hospital wanted to keep him to make sure nothing bad happens in the future,” he continued, “And how come Corrin isn’t with you? I told him to deliver the message.”

“Oh! He…” she trailed.

“Don’t bother, tell me later,” Jakob sighed, sensing the incoming lie. “I have things to finish up. Meet me at the cafe on the corner of main street at 4. I believe you know what I’m talking about, Effie?” 

“Of course. I’ll make sure to get her there on time,” Effie said, giving a curt nod as he passed them. 

Effie followed Felicia as she headed towards the exit. 

“Can we go to the library?” Felicia murmured, taking Effie’s hand in her own, squeezing it softly. She radiated with anxiety, and Effie could understand why. 

“Of course, do you have something in mind you’d like to read?” she asked, ways to cheer the girl up forming in the back of her mind.

“I’m not too sure,” she said honestly, “Something happy? Maybe just more children’s books… they’re never sad.”

“Though you do end up falling asleep when you read them,” Effie teased, Felicia’s lips finally forming a small, flustered smile.

“They’re a little boring,” she insisted, “Nothing bad happens.”

“Well you’ve got yourself a conundrum,” Effie laughed, lighting up when Felicia’s smile widened, though there was a lingering of confusion in her eyes.

“Conundrum?” the word unpracticed on her lips. 

“A conundrum is a difficult or confusing problem, sometimes asked just for fun,” she explained quickly, Felicia nodding as she processed the definition. 

“Well, then why don’t we try and fix this… conundrum?” she asked.

“That might be worrisome, there aren’t many conflicts that are resolved without… actually, I have one in mind,” Effie grinned. Sure the book she was going to show Felicia was childish, a series meant purely for young children that she had once read to Elise, and had yet to cease doing so when Elise was restless or down. 

They had made their place in their usual spot in the back of the library, Effie having brought the thin books along with Felicia eyeing them with curiosity. 

“Biscuit,” Effie said, smile widening as she showed the cover. The illustration of a small yellow puppy adorning the cover. “One of my favorite children’s book and Elise’s favorite as well,” she added, “There are small little problems in the books… but they’re all resolved with everyone being happy.”

Felicia leaned against her as Effie opened it so that they could both see the contents. The few words that were printed on the pages were simplistically comical and Effie relished in the small giggles that Felicia would let out as she read the words quietly, adding light dramatics to the pages. This resulted in Felicia’s laughter to become more open. 

“Dogs are so adorable,” Felicia sighed dreamily. Effie shut the last book, pleased that Felicia seemed to be more calm and happy after going through each book. 

“I have one at home…” Effie said quietly, “Perhaps we can go see her after you meet up with Jakob?”

Her heart melted a bit at the bright smile on Felicia’s face as she nodded. 

“What’s her name?” she asked, getting up along with Effie as they put the books away and headed towards the exit of the library. 

“Einthell,” Effie hummed, “She’s a saluki. She’s loathes the sun, so she sort of just stays inside all say, I spoil her rotten.”

“I can’t wait to see her then! I’ve never had many pets…” Felicia murmured, taking Effie’s hand again as they exited the library and made their way to the cafe that Jakob had spoken about. 

It was small, quaint, though very open. It seemed like a casual place for people to come talk. 

“I believe Jakob wanted to speak with me alone…” Felicia hinted, looking a bit guilty. 

“Of course. I’ll be…” Effie trailed as she scanned the area, “Over there,” she pointed towards a flower shop where she knew two of her favorite people would be. 

“I’ll come over when we’re done, then. Thank you, Effie,” Felicia smiled, squeezing Effie’s hand one last time before she entered the cafe. 

Effie waved her off, her smile not leaving her face as she crossed the street, greeting Mozu as soon as she opened the door.


	5. intervention - 2.1

“Effie!” Elise squealed, jumping up to wrap her arms around the girl’s neck. Effie caught her with ease, lightly spinning her. The light giggles caused Effie to warm a bit as she snuggled Elise close. 

“Good afternoon,” Mozu greeted softly, “How’s Felicia? When Camilla came in, she just had to go on about you two.”

“They’re dating!” Elise excitedly hopping down and returning to the small arrangement that she had been working on prior. 

“We’re friends,” Effie corrected, settling down on a stool that was placed next to the counter.

Elise huffed a bit.

“She’s leaving soon though…” Effie trailed, letting out a quiet sigh, “I don’t believe there’s any use in attempting to win her favor when I have merely a week left to spend time with her.”

“Now, now,” Elise said, voice rising a bit, though hushed when Mozu put a finger over her mouth, “Don’t you think it’s worth a shot? Kamui always talks about long distance relationships!”

“Between soulmates,” Effie faltered, “A connection… soulmates have a connection but…”

“We all know! Maybe not Felicia, but we know that you know that you two are soulmates, it’s only a matter of telling her! Even if…” she murmured, shaking her head, “Even if she isn’t, the way you two treat each other. It’s so much more than you think.”

“Effie…” Mozu trailed, setting her hands onto Elise’s shoulders as to calm her, “It may be true that she’s leaving soon, but if you’re so taken to her as to worry… I feel as if the better choice would be to talk to her.”

Something about her look seemed knowing.

“I… I guess I can see your point,” Effie nodded. Though she doesn’t understand why they were so hellbent on getting them together in the first place. Felicia was just… no… she wasn’t just a Russian student that had come to visit. Perhaps initially she had just been another person that Effie flitted by, deeming her a clumsy foreigner before… 

Mozu let out a light giggle when she saw the recognition shoot through Effie’s eyes, Elise oblivious to anything that Effie might have realized in that split second. 

Mozu’s eyes looked around the room, glazing over each display before they fell on a certain bouquet of cream and pink roses, the colors blending together softly. 

“Well, she’s waiting for you,” Mozu gestured towards the display window where a small blob of pink was just barely peeking from around it.


	6. intervention - 2.2

Felicia wasn’t surprised to already see Jakob settled at one of the tables, a cup of tea in hand while another sat untouched across from him. He looked up, watching her carefully as she focused on not stumbling on her feet as she stepped up onto the seat. 

“Good afternoon,” she greeted happily, taking a glance back to see Effie’s back disappear into the flower store. 

“Good afternoon, Felicia,” he nodded, letting out a quiet sigh, “I needed to talk to you about something.”

Felicia nodded, taking a small sip from her tea, “Anything, Jakob! Is everything alright? I emailed my report to you and the director just this morning…”

“No, no, no, it’s flawless and punctual for once,” they cracked a small smile, “I needed to talk to you about someone else. What is your relationship with Effie?” 

The question was simple, but Felicia found herself a flustered mess, stumbling over her words as if it were first time speaking. Jakob’s eyes were a bit scrutinizing as he waited. Taking a composing breath, Felicia wrung her hands in the yellow fabric of her dress. 

“We’re just friends,” she said quietly, looking up to see Jakob’s unbelieving gaze, “We are! We’re nothing more… maybe more…”

“You have a week,” Jakob said, sliding his phone across the table, the screen opened to an email that was addressed to the both of us. “I’m not… fond of doing favors when not asked, but the president seems to favor you staying here alongside me to make sure that the director is doing well. If only we attend school here and do well until his recovery.”

“Wai- but---”

His eyes narrowed, “I could easily take it back if you’re opposed though, it would mean less trouble for me.”

 

“No!” Felicia squeaked, groaning when she noticed the sly look he was now sporting, “I’ll stay to assist you.”

“Very well,” Jakob said, huffing out a small bout of laughter as he took his phone back. “I do trust you won’t leave her hanging as you have? It was rather embarrassing seeing you two act all affectionate when you think I can’t see.”

If her face could get any redder, it did at that moment. 

“Do you really think I wouldn’t notice you holding hands from behind the bookcase? What do you take me for? An idiot?” he mused, his voice ruthlessly teasing her as he took into account the many things that Corrin had told him over the course of the time that they had been there. 

“Alright, alright! I get it!” Felicia finally cried, blush running down her neck as she even began to sweat from the embarrassing things that Jakob spouted, light laughter surrounding them as onlookers listened. 

“Oh, would you look at the time,” Jakob chuckled, settling back. “It’s about time for us to leave, don’t you think?” 

Felicia let out a mortified sound in response, resorting to burying her face into her arms as a defense mechanism. 

“Well, I won’t keep you any longer than is needed. Effie is waiting for you, isn’t she?” he asked, standing up. Felicia followed bashfully, head tilted downwards as she tried to retain what little dignity Jakob had decided to let her salvage. 

“Is it alright… for me to…?” 

“Has anyone ever told you that it was bad to meet your soulmate?” he questioned, raising an eyebrow as they exited the cafe. 

“No…”

“Then you’re fine,” he said, staring in a different direction, “I’ll notify you once I find us a residence and such.”

“Of course. Thank you, Jakob… I think I needed that.”

Jakob simply nodded, going on his way as Felicia made her way across the street, peeking around the corner of the display window.


End file.
